ASHRAE has announced a call for papers for its 2016 Winter Conference in Orlando, Fla., Jan. 23-27.

“The 2016 ASHRAE Winter Conference will have a fresh feel with new tracks focused on design-build practices and residential systems. We’ll continue our emphasis on energy efficiency and sustainability while addressing current engineering and construction practices outside of the U.S. and Canada. We’re also taking one of the most attended conference program styles and making an entire track out of debates. I think we’ll be offering our attendees some great programs that align well with current trends in HVAC&R engineering,” Jennifer Leach, conference chair, said.

The increasing choice of Design Build project delivery brings the contractor and designer together on the same team. The track explores the challenges and benefits, highlights successful projects and addresses several topics, including contracts and alternative design and construction processes.

The Modern Residential Systems Track presents energy efficient solutions and the latest advances ranging from glazing to water heating to lighting for the residential market.

The inventive aspect of engineering is covered in the Cutting Edge Technologies Track, exploring the efforts to achieve net zero energy buildings. Papers and programs address recent advances in HVAC&R system design, equipment and construction techniques including the responsible use of resources and energy recovery.

With ingenuity comes the debate as to the best practices where there may be divergent methods for accomplishing the same task. The Great Debate Track seeks to bring a lively discussion in a point, counterpoint format on the “best” approach for a certain project.

In addition, the 2016 ASHRAE Winter Conference also seeks papers addressing advances and practices across HVAC&R systems, equipment, fundamentals and applications, especially for the International Design Track.

ASHRAE offers two types of paper submissions:

•  Conference Paper Abstracts due March 23, 2015. Upon acceptance, papers will be due July 6, 2015. These “final” papers undergo a single-blind review, are submitted as a PDF and have an eight single-spaced page maximum length.

•  Full Technical Papers due April 20, 2015. Papers submitted for review must be both technically accurate and clearly written. These papers undergo a rigorous double-blind review and can be a maximum of 30 double-spaced pages.

To submit a Conference paper abstract or a technical paper and for more information about the tracks, go to www.ashrae.org/orlando. The 2016 Winter ASHRAE Conference takes place at the Hilton Orlando.

Held in conjunction with the 2016 Winter Conference is the ASHRAE co-sponsored International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition, Jan. 25-27, 2016 Orlando Convention Center. The AHR Expo will attract some 60,000 professionals and the ASHRAE Conference will attract some 4,000 attendees and meeting participants.